From the Source
by AkaneAlways
Summary: Ryoga asks Akane how he should tell a girl his feelings but...


Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½ 

From the Source

"Akane, there's something I…I…" Ryoga had decided this was the day. Ranma was on a training trip and wasn't coming back for another 3 days. This was Ryoga's one and only chance. 

Seeing the look on Ryoga's face and being uncomfortable made Akane speak up.

"Ryoga, it looks like you have something on your mind. Would you like to talk about it?" Ryoga looked into Akane's eyes and began speaking. 

"Akane, there's someone that I like…a lot but she's attached to some other guy and I don't know if she likes me…well, I know she likes part of me."

"Well if she likes part of you then she probably likes the rest Ryoga. And what do you mean by attached?" Ryoga looked towards the ground.

"She's engaged to him. Not by choice, it was arranged." Suddenly, unbeknownst to Ryoga, a look of understanding washed over Akane's face and she had to suppress a giggle.

"Ryoga, I think I know who you're talking about." Ryoga's head shot up and he looked Akane directly in the eyes.

"You…you do?" Akane nodded. 

"I think it's sweet Ryoga. And I know you're worried about Ranma, but he's your friend Ryoga, he'll understand, but you should tell him before you make any other plans."

"You…you think Ranma will really understand?" Akane nodded. 

"He may not seem like it Ryoga, but Ranma is really understanding. Honor is one thing, but Ranma wouldn't stop anyone from being happy, just talk to him Ryoga." Ryoga looked towards the ground again. 

"What do you think about this Akane?" Akane put her hand on Ryoga's shoulder. 

"I'm happy for you Ryoga. I always thought that you and Ukyo would make a good couple!" Ryoga face faulted.

"U…Ukyo?"

"Yeah, ever since Ranma and I found out you were a couple in the haunted tunnel I realized that you were the perfect match. And Ryoga, in all honesty, I really think Ranma will just want Ukyo and you to be happy. So, I want you to find Ranma, tell him your plan, and then go after Ukyo!" Akane pulled Ryoga from his sitting position and started pushing him down the road. As Akane was pushing him Ryoga asked the question that he really wanted answered.

"Is this how you would want someone to tell you their feelings Akane?" She stopped pushing him and Ryoga turned around. She was looking towards the mountains.

"Well, if I was engaged to someone who I didn't want to be engaged to, than I would want the person I like to go to him. Sort of like when a man asks a girl's parents if he can marry her. But, at the same time, it'd be so great to be the first to know. Like, for however long it may be, being the only two people who know what you have. Having a secret like that…it would just make things more exciting. You know?" Akane looked up at Ryoga's face and noticed a little smirk and began to blush. 

"Ah, Ryoga, I'm sorry. I don't know what I'm saying. Just ignore me." 

Ryoga didn't really know why he was smiling. He had just realized Akane's true feelings for him and for Ranma. He had always thought that if this day came, he'd let off the largest Shi Shi Hokodan ever or die on the spot. There was something about what Akane said earlier, something about Ranma not holding anyone back from happiness. Ryoga wouldn't want to hold Akane from being happy. He began walking away from Akane. 

"Thank you Akane. See you soon." Akane waved. 

"Bye Ryoga. Good luck with Ranma. He's training about midway up Mt. Fuji, can you make it by yourself?" 

"I'll be fine Akane thank you." Ryoga whispered a good bye to Akane and began on a journey. He wasn't going to look for Ranma; there was no point. He wouldn't find him anyway, but if he did he was going to tell Ranma that he was giving up Akane. 

Ryoga didn't make it out of Nerima that night. Long after the sun went down he was still wondering around Nerima when he heard a voice. 

"Ryoga? What are you doing out this late?" He looked up to see a familiar face.

"Ukyo? You mean I haven't even left yet?" Ukyo grabbed Ryoga's arm and pulled him into the restaurant and fired up the grill. Ukyo noticed something different about Ryoga, but she wasn't sure what it was.

"So what's on your mind sugar?" Ryoga was just staring at the grill.

"I gave up Akane today." Ukyo dropped her spatulas. 

"You did what? Ryoga, why would you do that? Don't you love her?" Ryoga looked up at Ukyo and nodded. 

"Of course I do, that's why I did it. It was great Ukyo! I was going to tell her, but she ended giving me advice on how to tell someone I loved them. She told me that I should go to Ranma first and tell him then go and tell her." Ukyo put the okonomiyaki on the plate and stopped Ryoga.

"Wait, why would she even mention Ranma if you didn't tell her it was her you liked?" Ryoga began picking at the pizza, not really in the mood to eat, but not wanting to be a bad guest.

"Well, I asked her how to tell someone who is engaged that I like them and she assumed that I was talking about…well about you." After the initial shock wore off, Ukyo began to laugh with Ryoga following soon after. The rest of that night was spent discussing all the ways Akane could have gotten the idea that these two people were a couple. It started with denial but then turned into agreement on how she came to her conclusion. 

That day Ryoga came to the conclusion that Akane was not in his grasp, so he had given her up. He never intended to find another, and he didn't realize he had for a number of years. It took Ukyo a little longer (and a wedding) to realize Ranma was nothing more than a friend. She still has yet to realize a life after Ranma, all she knows is that Ryoga's always there to comfort her and that, with each passing day, he's getting cuter.

AN: Yay! My Ryoga story is done…ok so it isn't really just about Ryoga, as I was writing I came up with an idea of Ryoga asking Akane for advice about telling a girl his feelings and this is what happened…but it is generally Ryoga centric! And, I did promise that I wouldn't use Ranma…(although I also promised not to use Akane but…oh well). So, I hope you enjoyed and comments are welcome!


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